Whimsy
by 7 League Boots
Summary: MARCH MADNESS! SG-1 gates to a temperate, pastoral planet while seeking new off-world sites. Sam gets separated during a sudden cataclysm, and then the really strange fluff, er, stuff happens. Hmm. One shot!
1. Chapter 1

**Whimsy**

**Author's note**: Trying to get back my writinglegs. Not beta'd; a story-in-a-day exercise. Bear with me!

Selection

Col. Sam Carter bounded out of the incoming wormhole just ahead of her teammates, Daniel Jackson and Teal'c. She felt great, and only a little sorry that the other two didn't. Sam saw Gen. Jack O'Neill at the base of the ramp and tried extra hard not to grin outright as she drew closer to him and the SFs. The wormhole closed behind them and all attention turned to her. 

"Carter. I take it the mission was…spiffy?" Jack asked, his eyes doing a quick check of her person and then the others. She could see him inhale deeply and look back at her, puzzled.

"Quite, sir," Sam replied. There was a moment of silence that tickled her no end. But she was a colonel now and giggling (especially around him) was not an option. She looked up at the SGC's newest CO and saluted. "Permission to get checked out in the infirmary, sir?"

"Uh, sure. Dismissed," Jack said after another confused moment. He returned her salute; Sam surrendered her weapons and casually sauntered out of the gate room. She could hear him as she moved away. "I see – and smell - that you two didn't get the benefit of Carter's er, whatever?"

"Funny, Jack." Daniel's voice faded as she distanced herself.

----

Sam made it back to the briefing room before the others. She placed a mini-chocolate with a shamrock designed wrapper on the table where the team sat. Her own she held in her hand to warm, then settled in her usual spot on the right of the general's chair. 

Chocolate. Just like someone's eyes. She chuckled. Then the others arrived for the debriefing. The general picked up the little chocolate and glanced at her. He silently mouthed his thanks. As she expected, his large hand immediately started to fiddle with it. Teal'c unwrapped his and popped it into his mouth after bowing gratefully to her. Daniel's would age gracefully, she mused. 

Teal'c and Daniel began their mission reports. It was difficult trying not to smile; she knew her version was way different from theirs. For them it started with the rain storm with flash flooding, followed by a killer heat wave. Oh, and that she went missing for half a day. All true, mostly. They just didn't know about The Mud.

_Yesterday_

They'd barely cleared the gate when the storm erupted. Rain slashed down as Sam hurried to dial out. A spark erupted from the DHD and threw her several feet away to land in the flooded grass.

"Oh, boy…" she murmured. She heard Daniel and Teal'c shouting before passing out. 

There was a roar in her head; rising and fading. The earth frothed furiously, growing into a translucent sphere that pulsed around and through her. Sam winced as shocks pricked inside her head; she could only blink up at the psychedelics. 

The undulating action gradually ceased. She lay still until she had strength enough to raise her hand to rub her eyes. 

"Oy," she groaned. The strange dream etched itself behind her eyelids. Oh, wait…

Sam sprang upright. She scanned the area in confusion, noting the strange aura around her. Not a dream, then. She noted gladly the absence of that damned rain. In fact, she ran her hands over herself, she was dry! But what in the world was this, a force field? Sam knelt and inched closer to the translucent barrier. She slid the palm of her hand close enough to test for heat or static; she detected none. 

"Well, I can breath in it, and it's dry. Let's see…" Sam spoke softly. She cautiously stuck a finger into the surface. The next she knew, she was sprawled face down after a huge "whoosh!" and the barrier was gone. Stunned a moment, Sam couldn't help laughing: she actually popped a bubble from the _inside_! How cool was that! 

Well, actually she wasn't cool at all. 

It was getting warm, very warm and rapidly. The cloud cover had vanished; a strong heat source combined with the drying grassland to create a natural sauna. And the temperature was still climbing. Where was the gate? That's when she realized something else had happened.

A wall of trees stood high out of the ground cutting her off as far as she could see. 

"What the – Teal'c! Daniel! Oh, for cryin' out loud, now what!" Sam shouted. She tried the radio without success. She was shocked by the appearance of the dense tree line where there was none before. It was like a wall. "This can't be good."

The dead radio worried her; no static or sound at all. What was doing that? Were Daniel and Teal'c ok? She stared at the impossible barrier trying to figure a way through.

The ground trembled. Sam spun around. The woods they'd seenon the MALP had changed. She was captivated by the new landscape. There was a sculptured spaceamong thetrees now, with packed earth rather than grass. 

"Wow, I think it's a grotto," Sam said, taking readings from a safe distance. The transformation was a sizable rock face of golden flecked stone. "Quartz, sandstone. Very nice. This planet has a nifty sense of style," she said, laughing in spite of the strangeness.

Gurgling sounds caught her attention. A curtain of water emanating from the rock face flowed down into a pool of water. Sam gazed longingly at the new oasis as the steam grew more intense. She kept taking readings; no serious energy, but the heat register concerned her. 

The waterfall began to mist, spiking the humidity. Did the trees block in the heat from the clearing behind her? She aimed her device at the pool; oh, yeah, the temperature was rising. 

"Why are you doing this? We don't mean you any harm! Please talk to me!" Sam called out. She hoped whoever did this had no hostile intentions. Why cut her off? And, she mused as she pulled her sweat soaked tee shirt from her pants to fan herself, did it want to roast her alive? To eat? Something above her head made her look up.

A rainbow. And not the arc one usually saw. This was inverted, with sparkling jewel tones and – Ok, she admitted; shaped like a smile? Man she hoped Daniel was getting this on camera! They'd never believe her otherwise.

"Daniel, in case you can hear me, I'm fine. There's a sauna effect going on though; the water temperature is rising," she said, then described what had gone on. "Hope you and T. are ok," Sam spoke into the radio. The temperature on the tricorder was 89F. Should have packed a bikini. "The new trees look really packed in. I'd suggest a staff blast but I it would serve. By the way, did you see that rainbow?" Silence again. Well, she had to try.

Sam untied her BDU jacket from around her waist and let it drop. Then she sat down and began to pull off her boots and socks. She knew she'd have to shed more clothing to cool off. 

"Guys, listen. Clothing is beginning to be an issue. So if you happen to get in here in the next few minutes or so, act like you've seen it before, ok?" Sam said, panting a little in the humid air. 

The radio clicked but no voice came through. Well, maybe they could hear some of what she was saying. 

"Best not get too close just in case there are more renovations in mind. Keep the radios open," Sam said. She was barefooted, her tee shirt shed and her pants rolled to her knees. Sam had no doubt they would have to come off if this accursed steaming didn't…

Sam studied the pool. The water level had dropped, or evaporated. She saw the waterbed just below the surface now, although it didn't seem as deep as it should be. It was as if the water itself turned to mud that fast. Peering closer, she could see that it was a rather soupy --- And then she fell in!

"Aagh!" 

Sam sputtered as she raised herself from the warm sludge. She knelt and ran her hands through the substance. Fine grained,with a faint herbal aroma, she thought as she fingered it. It reminded her of something. Easing out, Sam sat on dry ground and sighed as she removed her pants. A veil of scented steam suddenly enveloped her. 

She took a breath of the altered air and smiled. Her toes smiled. Her hair smiled. Nice.

"You know, I think this isn't too bad. Kind of nice, really," Sam said, feeling a wonderful sense of, well, wonderfulness roll through her. "Wow, this is great…"

Movement drew her hazy attention to the ground. A lush carpet of – shamrocks? Sam blinked. Yes, they were the mythical four-leafed kind. Sam placed her hand in them and the little green leaves fluttered. She giggled at the sensation. They bent like a wave that flowed to the pool. The air had _the_ most pleasant scent. Wow. She was feeling _really_ lounged. 

Sam climbed dazedly to her feet and began to examine her new environment, vaguely aware of the need to solve some kind of problem. She tried to see through the crystalline leaves reflecting the glittering emerald sky; not real, surely? But when her bare feet squished in the soft rim, eliciting another sigh of pleasure, the mission's purpose faded again. The hot steam clouds coated her bared skin leaving a delicious smelling sheen over her. She dipped a toe into the earth-colored mud. It tickled! 

She figured there was some sort of geothermal reaction taking place underground that heated the water and helped turn the earth to mud and make this heady steam. Huh, heady. 

A light buzz began in her ear or her head. Sam shook herself. Then she felt compelled to look down. How strange. Slipping off the belt she'd worn to clip her radio to, Sam inched forward. The warm, slightly effervescent mix rose over her ankles, up to her calves, and then knee high. 

The sensation was invigorating and calming at once. She let her hand trail around her, making temporary tracks on the surface that gradually melted back into themselves. Sam grinned. It was bubbly and warm and kind of tickly, and she wanted more! A little ledge of shamrocks and moss poked up from the rocks right beside the trickle of water. The shamrocks were so friendly, waving like that! 

"Hi, guys! Is this for me?" Sam waded to the ledge and found it would make a convenient pillow, as the ground beneath her sloped slightly. Gingerly she eased herself down, and found it a perfect spot to lay prone. Letting instinct guide her, she did just that, up to her neck in warm fragrant semi-liquid earth. 

It hit her then: A mud bath! Oh, she could really get used to this...

"Wheee!"

TBC - 

Love to know what you think of Sam's predicament; Jack comes up again so please check back! Kindly review and thanks for reading. 


	2. Communion

**Whimsy**

Author's note: Mea culpa, missed my deadline. But Sam's adventure goes forth. What's next, white rabbits? Oh, wait…

Communion

Sam submerged herself in the heavenly mud, leisurely resurfacing. Her face tingled as she wiped her eyes clear with her clean hand. Whatever time had passed, she didn't care for a long while. 

"If I had cucumber slices I'd be set!" Sam giggled. All she had to do was to picture a certain general's eyebrow going up at that sound and it set her off again. "Hear that? Giggle, giggle, sir!"

"_This is your last chance, colonel, I've warned you," Jack said sternly, his finger pointing at her face. "Giggling is non…" he sputtered as his eyes drifted down. Sam saw the instant when he realized she was standing at attention wearing only her boonie hat and underwear. "Uh, what-"_

_Giggle!_

"_Oh, for crying out loud, sir: lighten up!" Sam grinned at her shocked superior. Deep brown eyes opened wider than ever. His finger was still suspended between them. "Now, if I did this, and this…" Sam said softly, mischievously. She raised her finger and transferred melted chocolate to his. His eyes crested at their sockets when she moved closer and licked the sweet mass off. "Gonna put that in your court martial?" Sam dared._

_Then she caught her breath as Jack's eyes sparked. Oh, not with anger, never that. This was far from it. She got in his face and -_

_Giggled!_

She leaned back and let the air set the mud facial. Her skin drank in the moisture and gently tightened beneath the mask. Sam closed her eyes, flexed her legs lazily under the soothing fine silt and happily tormented her vulnerable CO in her mind's haze. 

Something tickled her ear. Sam drowsily brushed it away. It happened again.

"Sir, would you not…" Sam's eyes popped open, sure that the caked mud over her face would burn off at her embarrassment. Beside her head the shamrocks were abundant and moving. "Oh, crap!" Sam said in shock, and _clarity_. What was she doing playing in the mud while Daniel and Teal'c…Sitting up, she saw her tricorder device flip. By itself. "Oh, boy," she murmured, growing more alert. Her face blazed as she recalled, what, a dream? Hallucination?

"What the heck are you doing to me? Hey!" Sam shouted in exasperation. It didn't' help that she felt guilty for totally enjoying that taboo, um, fantasy and for not sparing much thought to Daniel and Teal'c.

Just then the steam thickened; the stimulating effect heightened. Sam inhaled. Her body gradually became lighter and it seemed she floated. 

"Oh, not again," Sam sighed. "Oh, come on, ever hear of just say no?" She tried fighting the appeal of the euphoric weightlessness, but it proved too strong. Obviously this was the way the presence (or whatever) reached out. "Ok, I'm gonna take a leap of faith here. Like I have a choice, but here goes." She let her mind gradually relinquish itself into a shimmering white void. It reminded her of waiting for a movie to begin. 

A shape swirled out of the whiteness and became a circle. The movements continued until Sam could make out what was forming.

"The Stargate." She was impressed by the detailed representation. Then the kawoosh erupted and that's when the message really made itself plain. The air around the flush darkened to a grisly reddish hue. Sam flinched. "The active gate hurt you. We're so sorry! We didn't mean to do that!" Sam said, or more likely she thought; this was all in her head mostly. It looked so painful; she felt terrible for causing it.

The redness lightened when the event horizon formed and the MALP emerged, but Sam felt the lingering soreness, like a wound. She was surprised to see the image of SG-1 coming through the gate, and that the intense redness lessened rapidly at their appearance. And she was even more stunned when the image zoomed in on her. Then it replayed the storm in fast forward until she was at the DHD. 

Like infrared, her body was scanned for heat. Her head came into glaring close-up and showed a higher heatreading than the rest of her! 

"Guess I'm a hot head," she thought. Next came her incident with the electrical shock. "Ouch!" Sam gaped at how hard she was hit. The space was now the same color as the ominous storm clouds. Anger, she reasoned. Sam saw the bubble grow to surround her and remembered. "You were protecting yourself. Wow. Thanks for the first aid." A jolt like that could have, should have been fatal.

The images faded to an eye-friendlier tint of green. Next it showed Daniel and Teal'c, safe near the half buried DHD and the gate anchored by the odd granite growths. Well, they weren't going anywhere! They had stripped off their shirts, appearing to be on a break with MREs and water. She could see Daniel's and Teal'c's sweaty tee shirts sticking to them. They looked dusty as if they'd been working hard in the heat, probably attempting to free the gate or the DHD. Oh, yeah, pile on the guilt.

"Thank you for showing me this. And again I'm so sorry we hurt you. We're explorers, we come in peace," Sam explained. The greenish air shimmered. She guessed that was ok. So she told it about earth and their missions to find allies. In turn it showed her its birth, ejected from a black hole into this space. "Wow. So no one's been here for a very, very long time," she mused. 

Next shesawpeople erecting a Stargate here who could have been Ancients although she couldn't be sure. Something bad was happening to the planet from the first; patches of barrenness or stunted growths were spread around the settlements. The final incident seemed to be when the planet became unstable after the gate's vortex appeared. The settlers left hastily in ornate ships and never returned. Until that point, the entity had tried to be accommodating; creating water and trees and a temperate climate. Sam sensed that it liked the visitors but they, too, hurt it. Sadly, it missed them. She was shown images of eons of isolated landscapes, changing every so often to mountains, deserts, and the one it favored, this meadow.

So she wondered if they were being kept here because the entity feared the painful vortex or if it was lonely. The latter worried her most. 

"I really, really like the way you've apologized. The mud bath is just wonderful for my complexion, but –" Sam finally said after carefully considering her words. When the green tint started to darken, she knew it knew what she had to say. "But we will have to leave soon. I know…" she felt the sadness in the air. "I wish we could stay or even come back."

Wait, maybe they could help it. 

"I need to wake up now." There was a gust of cool, fresh air. Sam breathed deep.

And then she was standing. Thinking to rinse herself, Sam was startled to see the wet mud ooze down her skin and back into the mud bath, like a silk cloth falling away. Clean, taut skin emerged quite without a trace. She cautiously stepped out, and now felt the mud on her face crack and flake off to be reabsorbed. She realized her hair had been caked in mud as well; it felt lighter, silkier. That was neat, and cool, too. Sam felt a strong urge to return to it until she got herself in hand.

"Ok, enough with the day spa, colonel. You're on a mission," Sam said aloud. She sat cross-legged on the grass and gingerly reached for the UTD. Ok, it seemed normal now. The device began to beep. 

Sam studied it and entered an equation. The screen blanked and another set of symbols came up. Yes! So, the entity could manipulate electronic devices. Hmm; maybe she just explained the radio's malfunction. She put the thought aside for now. 

"Ok, I think I'm on this," she said. She took a minute to enter a set of commands, then let it run. A graphic display of periodic tables flashed. "Daniel, your 'meaning of life stuff' is so timeless," she uttered. Ernest's Planet may not have had a consciousness but its use of a universal language – sharing the elements composing their galaxies – was a natural tool here. 

The sauna effect was lesser although the moist warmth still discouraged getting dressed again. Sam gazed back a little longingly at the inviting mud pool. Clover frolicked over her feet and between her toes. She had to smile at them. Was pampering a language? The new beeping dragged her attention to the device. Her laptop would really be a boon about now. 

Sam needed to narrow down the elements that caused the planet harm. She suspected it was a type of energy or radiation. Many of its elements were matching up with earth's and some in the alien tables. At least she knew the components in the kawoosh, and that whatever was present at the gate's original opening was still around. Sam sighed. This was going to take a little more time. 

Sam realized her backpack was here. She set her device down and fished out some water and chocolate bars. Huh, she usually packed a couple with her MREs just for a break. Unfortunatelythey werea little soft after being in this atmosphere so she made do with a standard energy bar. Time to try the radio again. 

"Daniel, Teal'c. I've made contact with the…" Sam said and paused. She recalled an earlier mission where she saved the day but had to reveal how she arrived at her solution. She had yet to live down the aftermath from her "talking to plants" remark on that mime planet (as Jack called it). Now she was sure "talking to planets" would net more teasing/pun mileage. Oh, well. "I've made contact with an entity and I believe it's the…planet."

"Say again, Sam? You …to…planet?" Daniel's voice crackled. Finally!

"Are you…Carter?" Teal'c asked.

"I'm fine. Kind of steamy on this side, but I'm holding up. The entity seems to be allergic to the kawoosh. It created the storm because it was hurt. So I'm trying to find out how to protect it so we can go home. It's gonna take a little while, though. I'm making progress. I'll try to keep you up to date." 

"Those trees?" Daniel asked.

"Best guess: to get one of us or me, to communicate with. So far it's not trying to harm us." And with that the radio crackled and went to sleep or died again. Sam began to believe that the planet-entity did this on purpose. That didn't give her any comfort. 

Comfort. One certainty: the entity could create some powerful head trips. Who knew what other elements it could string together to make her do its bidding? She might start following white rabbits or…She jumped. 

The shamrocks flattened themselves all around her and right around the pool. She could feel them quivering. This was beyond weird. 

"Ok, you don't want to make me your captive? Good to know that," Sam said. The green carpet shook and sprang upright in a nifty flowing wave. Sam smiled. Easy to please; that might be useful if she could solve it's gate problem _and_ if it let them leave. Sam set the new equations to run, and eased over to the pool to let her feet dangle into the mixture. "Well, talk about addictions. This is so nice," she sighed. 

Intermittent contact with Daniel and Teal'c let her know her idyllic respite didn't come at the expense of their safety (Just their comfort; no spa for them.). Sam wiggled her feet in the exquisite heated silt. She was sure to be the most composed, most aromatic team leader in the complex. Leaning back on her hands, she lifted a foot up and rotated it playfully, watching the mud slip from toe to toe and back. Amazing qualities to this planet! 

Her eyes glanced around, then at the fairly dancing clover leaves so abundant around her. Why them? Although it was St. Patrick's Day in the States, she'd hardly given it much attention. Oh, well, there was that impulse to get that bag of little chocolate squares wrapped in foil with a cute shamrock picture. She planned to leave them for the team and of course her cranky Irish CO.

She sobered.

How was she ever going to put this in a mission report? Jack, that is, Gen. O'Neill was going to think she'd lost it. Huh, maybe she did; under the influence of something. Granted, he was the world's most accommodating boss, especially with SG-1. But telling him she communicated with a planet-entity that electrocuted her, healed her in a bubble, dosed her with an exotic hallucinogen (that produced visions of a nearly naked, very naughty _her_!), grew hoards of shamrocks to play with and finally treated her like a royalty in a private spa…Well. She might find out the limits of his accommodation. Another thought made her more serious.

What if they couldn't leave here? What if the planet didn't let them go? A sense of deep loss engulfed her. Not to see home, see her family, friends; him.

It was the sudden absolute stillness that alerted her. Sam saw the little shamrocks with their, well, heads down, the whole field of them. The absence after their hyperactivity gave her a creepy feeling. Even the waterfall's trickle lapsed, hugging the rock face in a desultory manner. Sam curled her legs up and under her. Man, she hoped they weren't as guilty as they looked. 

"You can't keep me here, you know that, right? You told me you wouldn't make me your captive," Sam scolded in a gentler voice than her budding anxiety warranted. The field was an eerie ocean of frozen greenness. Oh, this didn't look good. She wiped her forehead. "Ok, look. I'm trying to help all of us. When I fix your gate problem, it means I get to go home. That's the deal," Sam said. Nothing. Until another veil of scented steam erupted. "Oh, nuts," she grumbled. "I didn't inhale, sir, honest…"

"Well, now, Carter, I wouldn't be here if you didn't."

Sam pried her eyelids open. She was curled on her side, stubbornly putting her back to the tempting happy-mud. She had to turn over at the sound of that very familiar voice. 

"Holy Hannah," she breathed. Ok, this wasone humdinger of a trick. "Sir?" 

"Now you see me," he quipped, smiling a familiar smile.

The figure kneeling beside her looked her over critically with the exact brown eyes and slashed eyebrow of Jack O'Neill. In a white athletic tee and Simpsons boxer shorts (with hearts?), it was him. But of course it wasn't. Was it? She blinked rapidly but the virile presence stayed right where he was. How was it doing this? Jack wasn't even here…

"D'oh, the thing's been in my mind!" Sam murmured, recalling the 'video'. But wow he looked gorgeous no! Damn this stuff! Her hand reached out and gingerly touched his arm; so warm. He cocked an eyebrow in question. When she touched his knee a broad grin grew over his face. Sam jerked her hand away. Long limbs, tanned, an inviting column of male neck. "Gah, this is crazy. I'm crazy. This stuff is driving me mad and I can't help you if I'm stark raving!" She shouted full force.

Jack sat down, his ankles crossed and his arms hugging his knees. 

"Now, see, I'd thought that geniuses had to be a little, you know," Jack said, doing a circling motion with his hand to indicate craziness. Sam glared. "I'm just sayin'."

Sam laid back and stared at the bright sky. The effects of her latest dose weren't as strong but still nibbled at her willpower. Now it was the allure of the friend she'd known for near a decade. Here, in his undies! Near enough to touch in a way she knew she never should. What was the point of his presence? She gazed at him. He was looking around but looked back at her with a smile so soft she could feel it. Oh, she couldn't do this. 

He picked up her hand and squeezed it in his. So real the way it dwarfed hers, warmed hers. 

"You're gonna blow a gasket, Carter. Take a breath, nice and slow," he coaxed with that trademark concern on his face. Without thinking, following the voice of the man she trusted with her life, she did. "Better?"

Of course it was. 

TBC

Well, not the end, I promise.Forgive my simple science scene; I'm no Sam. Please review, and thanks for reading.


	3. Solution

**Whimsy**

Author's note: New twist for Sam! Thanks for your reviews. Please enjoy.

Solution

She smiled up at him, his handsome clean shaven face, the military hair cut, and realized how much she liked looking at him. She tugged until he was laying beside her, his hand still holding hers. He was so long, so nice and long next to her. She'd always liked standing near him. It made her feel almost equal, his match. He was looking at her as if that's what she was. A sadness grew.

"You're not real. I wish you were," she whispered. Kindness, comfort, friendship; more than friendship shined from his eyes. 

"I'm as real as you make me, Sam. Just let me," he said softly, his eyes drifting to her lips. 

Sam wanted to fly, or cry or something. He'd looked at her like that before and she hadn't a clue why. Now she knew. Or was this a reflection of her own jacked up inner feelings? Gah, was she looking at him that way? Had she ever?

He turned onto his side to face her. Sam couldn't stop smiling at him; it was so natural to do. He caused a beautiful warmth in the pit of her stomach. So this wasn't her Jack, but he was really the Jack she knew. If she was in her right mind she might curse the entity for delving him out her secret places, but somehow she couldn't blame them. Her hand tightened in his. 

Her tricorder beeped. She jumped and automatically reached for it.

"Ok, it looks like radiation it is," Sam said, blinking away the warm fuzziness to read the device. She had to think twice as hard to ignore the man now behind her. "Ok it looks like – Oh, said that. It's the only equation that doesn't jibe with the others, so it must be the culprit wouldn't you say, dear?" Sam asked, then the words caught up with her. 

"Whatever you say, hon," Jack replied without missing a beat. He grinned, his hands clasped behind his head and that smirk. Shamrocks waved around him. He winked at her.

"Oh, man I need aspirin or a new head," Sam sighed. The readings were conclusive; she just didn't know how to go about shielding a planet from the kawoosh. "Ok, we'd need a shield. But we can't gate offworld to make one. Sheesh! This shouldn't be so hard, Jack!"

"It's not, Sam," he answered in kind. "You'll solve this, like always. That's the voodoo that you do," Jack said. Sam laughed at his nonsense. She gave in to the need to be next to him and lay beside him with the tricorder in her hand. 

"You're always so encouraging. I think I do impossible things so I won't disappoint you," Sam said, holding the device above her and performing calculations. "Carter, get on it. See what you can do, Carter. Carter, you fixed that yet!" She teased, and he laughed. She liked that sound; she'd love to hear it more. 

"Yeah, well, you never let me down, Sam. You never could."

Sam's eyes stung back tears. Was she coming down? That would suck about now! 

"Well, I just need to find out how to protect it from the gate," she sighed, and leaned her head on his shoulder. He moved closer. Ah, beware the allure of being high; it feels too good, her logical mind warned. 

"Too bad I don't have my sunglasses. This light's a – whoa, watch me, here!" Jack said as she jumped on him. Surprised as he was, his arms circled her and held her securely. "Or this works."

"Sunglasses! Oh, Jack I just love it when you do that!" Sam laughed, feathering kisses on his cheeks, nose and ears. It was only when he started to imitate her actions that she pulled away but she was laughing still. She ended up straddling his midsection as he lay there, breathing a little heavier than before. Ha, so was she. "And I know just what will do it; it's one of the planet's elements – quartz! If it can generate enough to make a cover for the gate, then when the wormhole connects it won't hurt it."

"Like a UV sunglass, iris?" He asked. 

"Yes! It's affected only by a certain part of the light spectrum emitted by the kawoosh. It's perfectly harmless to us, well as long as we don't stare into it. Ok, got to try to let it know," she gushed. She held the device in both hands over him. He reached up and gently pulled it down.

"It knows, Sam. It heard you," Jack said softly. His eyes sought hers and held. Shamrocks curled out of his hair and then were reabsorbed and reformed into his head. Sam leaned back, staring. His large hands held her hips, keeping her where she was. She saw a deep regret in him, and at the same time a shining gratitude. 

"C-Can you create a structure to cover the gate? Once the gate opens the rays can't h-hurt you," Sam whispered. She was choking up and didn't know why. Well, she did know why but she couldn't deal with it yet. He was still warm against her bare legs. Jack. She'd almost forgotten. Almost. She refused to let the tears go.

"It can but it will take time, a couple of hours to gather enough," Jack replied. He didn't take his eyes from hers; his hands gently massaged her hips. He raised his knees behind her and she leaned back on them. "It's already started."

"Who are you?" Sam asked in a small voice. Her head was clearer now. The scent that gave her a high must not be a natural part of the steam; she had no headiness. Pity; it would be appreciated about now. She could believe…"Why did you make Jack?" His hand wiped a tear and then…

"I am here," a strange, high voice came to her but not from him. He closed his eyes and was immobile. The voice was in her head. She noted the renewed activity of the shamrocks around them. "I am what you call the planet. I exist. Your kind are welcome but we cannot coexist."

"What? " Sam thought a moment. "You mean those strange bare patches you showed me? Do humans cause that?" 

"Many do, but not all. For a while we can coexist. Until the burning. You are different. You are a match. Your Jackis a match. We welcome you to stay here," the voice was plaintive now. Sam swallowed. 

"I can't stay."

"He would miss you. Jack can stay here with you. I will welcome you, provide for you."

"But Jack's never really been here. How could you know he won't bring the burning?"

"You brought him; we found part of him with you. Jack will match."

Sam's jaw dropped. What did it mean, part of him?A moment latershe laughed. 

_Supply closet, SGC:_

"_You're sure you want to do this, sir? It could affect your general ego."_

"_Stalling, Carter? Put up or pay up."_

"_Bring it."_

_The small trunk barely fit between them in the close space. They took positions opposite each other and assumed the proper form for arm wrestling. Both in black tees, the slender wiry arm flexed and grasped the hand of the bulkier wiry arm. Sam locked eyes with him and braced herself. He gave her his 'death' look as he described it in his campaign to have this rematch. _

"_Go."_

_Three minutes, twelve seconds: Jack grumbled as he took off his tee and tossed it to her. Sam grinned and waved it like a flag. He scowled as he buttoned his BDU jacket over his uncovered chest, warning her back when she feigned interest._

"_I'd be more motivated if you had to lose YOUR shirt," he pouted. Sam made sure the coast was clear before opening the door. _

"_Not after you wore my belt all over the base when you won, once! I'll keep it in mind, though. See you at the briefing, sir." _

Wow, they'd done that before this mission; his what, scent? Skin, sweat? Must have still been on her and when it probed her in the bubble…Yeah, good ol' DNA. And her memories. of him...Wow. 

"We match your planet's ecosystem," Sam said. The prone body beneath her breathed gently but still had his eyes closed. Good heavens; he was a work of art. Modeled from human cells but combined with the planet form; it was like magic. Her hands idly played with the hair at the base of his throat. His Adam's apple twitched. "And my teammates at the gate, you're not hurt by them?" 

She closed her eyes at the sudden visual influx. Daniel and Teal'c were standing by the MALP as the ground churned on the other side of the gate. She saw the crystalline substance being ejected onto the surface and piled up. Sadly there were small bare patches near the gate and DHD. 

"They are not harmed. They do not match. They could visit you for short periods if you wish." 

Sam reached down to stroke the strong jaw. His lips turned up in a little smile and her heart skipped. It was impossible to stay, of course. She was sure the planet knew this; it had to if it knew so much about her and him. His hand flexed on her hip, warm and so very alive. It was too much. It was too little. 

She leaned forward and laid her head on his shoulder. His breathing deepened. Sam swallowed the sob in her throat when his arms came around her, holding her. 

"It's ok, Sam. It understands," he murmured against her hair. 

"I don't. It's not…I don't know what it's not anymore! Real? Fair? I saved the day, damn it, and now what?" Sam asked with growing frustration. The clover leaves shivered as if feeling her anger. The large hand stroking her back centered her again. She breathed – cautiously. They - it - was innocent she admitted. But this real dream was cutting into her usual professional barrier. "Coming down's a downer, huh? Sorry," she said against his neck. God, he smelled like Jack. Sam let the bitterness go; this was what it was, all it was and would be. The clover leaves slowly regained their supple activity. 

"Sam, lighten up!" Jack quipped, and shook her playfully. She laughed and sat up. So like Jack to ease her moods. 

"Hey, you can't throw my words back at me. You're my fantasy," she grinned down at him. His eyes crinkled with humor and affection. What if he really did feel feelings…She shook her head. Don't breathe too deeply and start _that_ kind of delusion, she warned herself.

"I am?" He asked. Seeing her uncertainty, he added, "Well, maybe you're _my_ fantasy, ever think of that?"

"Come on! You're not even here!" Sam replied, the absurdity of the whole situation flooded her with amusement. 

"Am too." He arched the slashed eyebrow.

"Am not!" She arched hers back. Did he know how she favored that little scar?

"Am too!" 

"Am not! You're a figment of that – acid-trip cloud steaming my brain," Sam retorted, playfully slapping at his chest. Their hands flurried in a pretend fight until they were helplessly laughing. "Know what, you're 'under' my command. Yield, soldier!"

"Crap! Yielding now, ma'am. I'm all yours," Jack grinned. He spread his arms out wide. 

Sam swallowed. Good grief this was taking a direction she'd love to wander or rather plunge down. She looked into warm brownness and let her hands rest on his shoulders, gently kneading the firm muscles.

"Yeah, you are," she smiled. And what was she going to _do_ with all this alpha-Jack at her command? She tightened her knees around his torso. His eyes glittered and he squirmed. Whoa; that sent a shaft of heat right…there. Sam stared at him, not daring to move nor did he. He merely waited for her to tell him…whatever. And she knew he'd allow her to…whatever.

Right. She took in the details her mind had supplied about him right down to the fine dark hairs that covered his arms. More than the physical, she'd carried his concern, his respect for her deep within and these were as real and solid as the man. She couldn't slake her curiosity on Jack; this Jack. Any form of Jack, anywhere. 

"You're thinking too much, Sam," Jack said. He wiggled his eyebrows. "Does all your fun have to be so…serious?" He walked his long fingers up her arm, making her smile at the sensation. "You like?"

"I like. And now that you mention it, I have an idea…" Sam said softly. Her provocative tone caused his breathing to quicken. She climbed off of him, acutely missing the contact. "Hold that…"

"Sam! Sam, can you hear me?" Daniel's voice boomed over the radio. 

Sam stared at the offending noise. Then realized how clear the reception was. Did that mean the planet wasn't blocking them anymore? She glanced at Jack, still prone as she'd left him, with a wry expression that must have matched hers.

"Daniel and timing. Go figure," he said with a wink. She reluctantly turned to get the radio. 

"Daniel, I hear you loud and clear. How's the gate shield going?" Sam asked. There was a slight crackle. 

"You know about this? The planet's making a shield? Looks like it could be an iris. It's fantastic, Sam. Oh, and are you ok?"

"Yeah, the entity and I found a way to protect it from the wormhole glare. But there's another problem," she replied.

"Do you refer to the loss of vegetation that is appearing nearby, Col. Carter? It appears…unhealthy," Teal'c's voice came in. 

"Yes, look. Even though we solved the kawoosh thing, we can't stay; the planet has an acute reaction to most humans. Guess that includes us. So try to limit your exploring for now. This may take a few hours," Sam said. She dug into her pack until she found what she wanted. "You're sure you're ok?"

"Yes. Glad you're ok, too. Um, did I hear someone with you? I thought I heard…" Daniel asked. Silence. "Sam? Still there?"

"Er, yeah. The planet did come up with a way to communicate, I'm sure that's who you heard. Listen, I'm going to uh, commune with the entity again, try to reassure it. I'll fill you in…" Sam answered and cut off the comm. She looked over at her companion who watched with familiar amusement. "Oh, my; I think we lost contact again," She said, making her way over to him.

"Ya think? I predict you'll be back in touch in say, a couple of hours?" Jack replied. He rose as she took his hand and pulled him to his feet. She smiled up at him, her arm going around his waist as she walked him to the mud. He looked down, raised an eyebrow. "You wanna make mud pies?" 

"Too late to play dumb, as if I ever believed it! In!" Sam said. She waded in first, and found the leafy ledge had expanded to hold both of them. Nice, the little matchmaker. She turned her attention back to the very accommodating man at her side. The effervescent mix brought a smile of pleasure to them both and they sat with backs to the ledge, shoulder to shoulder. "You like?"

"What's not to – ooh," Jack smiled, then froze as he saw what was in her hand. Or rather on it. 

Sam laughed and touched a chocolate covered finger to his lips. He growled, she thought, and licked it off. Sam dipped her hand in the melted chocolate bar and placed a smear on her lips. But she didn't lick it off. She moved closer to him, turning her face up with obvious invitation. Jack didn't disappoint. 

But she knew he never would. And of course, with _two_ chocolate bars…Well, let's just say they _were_ a match.

TBC

Can you take more March Madness, 'cause there's more! Oh, and sorry about the typos; seems words sneak together once the update is completed. Please review and thanks for reading. 


	4. Resolution

**Whimsy**

Author's note: Ah, the end! Thanks for reading, reviewing and hopefully enjoying. I had loads of fun writing it!

Resolution

_Present_

"So. The hills _are_ alive, Carter?"

"Yes, sir," Sam answered quickly. She'd almost lost herself in the memory; hopefully it wasn't a hold-over from her 'trip'. "And that was it, sir. Once the entity and I figured out how to fix the cover, we were good to go," Sam finished. The little chocolate square in her hand was very soft now. She saw the general watching her hands, then her face. Uh-oh.

"So you 'talked' with the planet, Carter, and fixed things," Jack said, still fiddling with his own square. She nodded. He pinned her with his shrewd eyes; he suspected she was holding something back (Of course she was!) "And you all agree that contact should be very limited because the 'planet' is allergic to humans?" He turned from her at last to Daniel and Teal'c. The two nodded in agreement with her, still exhausted from their part in the mission. Jack leveled a piercing look at her again, seemed to want to say more but shrugged instead. "Ok, then. Spa planet: big 'only if doomsday' for settling," he said, concluding the meeting. 

Sam almost sighed in relief but naturally that would have been too easy.

"Uh, Sam thought we ought to name the planet," Daniel said. Sam glared at him but the rare mischief sparking in his eyes warned her it was to no avail. "Wants to call it, Whimsy."

It was a trick of perception, of course, but Sam thought the general turned to her in elegant slow motion. His eyebrow (yes, _that_ one) arched in mock seriousness. She glanced at Daniel with a promise of retribution. For now though, she faced her CO and braced for his snark. Then she felt the object in her hand and relaxed. 

Got this, she thought, waiting for it.

"Whimsy, you say?" Jack's latent Irish lilt in evidence. "Bit flighty, wouldn't you think, colonel?" He asked her. His long fingers tapped the table absently. Sam remembered the taste of them. Jack frowned at her expression. "Carter?"

"I was thinking it would be unofficial, sir, not quite like Daniel said it," Sam replied. "If it had the right population, it could be like a paradise," she said. She glanced at Jack and then began to unwrap the candy. "Or a place to have very real daydreams."

Jack did a comical double take at her. She pretended not to notice, but oh, did she!

"Day dreams?" he asked. His eyes were drawn to the open square in front of her. Sam dipped her pinky into the soft mass and put it in her mouth with obvious relish. She could see him staring. He cleared his throat. "Real day dreams."

"Oh, yeah. On Whimsy you can, well, pretty much make your dreams come true," she replied artlessly. She poked the square and proceeded to nibble it off her finger again. Slowly. 

_Two hours ago:_

"Mmm…" Sam said into Jack's open lips where their tongues sought and found the chocolate each had eaten. The sweet confection was gone but their lips remained in gentle, persistent search mode. Her thoughts steamy, Sam relaxed against him as he held her face in his hands. Both breathless at last, he eased back to look into her eyes; she felt like beauty, like a precious jewel, a treasure under his regard. "You're just thinking that," she murmured. 

"And feeling it," Jack said softly. Suddenly he was still, unnaturally still for a second, then he was back. "The new iris is done. Daniel is dialing the gate now," he told her. Sam felt her spirits dampen. When she looked away his finger eased her back to look at him. "I'm everything you know about me, Sam. You're a scientist, you observe and record," he said as his finger tapped her gently on the forehead. "Trust yourself, and you'll have _whatever_ you want."

Sam was caught in a fantastical moment of shimmering contentment. Shamrocks leaped and somersaulted all over and around them. Jack was the wonderful, solid assurance in it, just the way she's known him to be. But now she knew she was the same for him. It was a headier awareness than the scented steam gave her. 

"You're not usually so talkative, Jack. If I had more chocolate…" she said, teasing his lip with her tongue. He grinned against her lips and then lifted ahand that was covered in molten chocolate. Sam looked down to see they were immersed in it instead of the mud! "Oh, you didn't – "

"Oh, but I did. Chocolate, anyone?" Jack laughed, his eyes matching the color of the sweet liquid. Sam squealed as he pulled her close and plunged them into the warm liquid.

Eventually, when she heard Daniel trying to radio, they were back in the wonderful mud in no time, and then in a hot spring of clear, fragrant water. Later she dressed in her incredibly clean, crisp BDUs! 

On their way back to the tree line he'd carried her on his back, sometimes galloping like a horse for her amusement. Then they'd walked hand in hand talking amicably or in their usual banter. 

_I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream –_

Sam giggled. Why not a cartoon ditty, too? And one so very appropriate! Jack watched her, a knowing grin on his face. She felt her jaw drop – that was HIS thought! She laughed all the way back, their hands swinging happily as they tried to remember the words. 

Then they arrived. Jack's kind, affectionate gaze kept any remorse for leaving at bay. In fact she felt incredibly light hearted and hopeful. The trees began to bend, providing an opening to the clearing. 

Sam barely noticed it. She took his strong hand and pressed a kiss in his palm. He closed it as if to keep it there. 

"Remember, Sam. I'm everything you know already. I wish you could stay and so does the planet, but it won't be lonely anymore," he said. Sam saw him regard his hand with surprising tenderness.

She guessed at what he was thinking. Well, they swapped enough of each other if he chose to try. Jack smiled gratefully at her. She wished him – them - well.

"Whimsy. This will be my favorite place to think of you," Sam said in return, smiling up at him. "You'll be…ok?" She asked, turning around after a few steps toward the new opening. What she saw caused her to smile and then laugh. She'd laughed so much, cared and been cared about so much here. If it was all in her mind, well then it was a damned good place to be!

"See ya, Sam!" Jack called jauntily. His feet and then legs were covered with the cavorting shamrocks. In his hand was – a fishing pole! The next she knew, he went into a high-speed spin and vanished beneath the field. In seconds he was gone without a trace. 

That's when Teal'c popped through the trees and found her, immaculate and smiling.

_Present_

"Yeah? So, did you try to make one of your dreams come true, Sam?" Daniel asked. Sam recalled that he'd asked Jack a similar question once. 

Maybe one day she'd share the real/surreal nature of the trip with them, when she couldn't be hauled into psych counseling and put on stand-down, that is. 

_And I know it's true that visions are seldom what they seem, _

She took a moment to coat her finger with the last of her chocolate. Then she raised her eyes deliberately on Jack as she tapped her tongue on the finger and leisurely licked it. 

_But I know you, I know what you'd do -_

"Um-hm," Sam said around her finger. She smiled a little (so she wouldn't grin) at his stunned look. His hand gripped his own candy as he watched her enjoy her treat. He licked his lip. 

"Sam, what was it?" Daniel asked, intrigued. He glanced at Jack, puzzled, then back at Sam, oblivious to the new tension. Teal'c studied the two, and with his enigmatic smile, folded his hands on the table without comment. 

_You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream._

She stood and looked down at the unsettled general who stared at her lips as she ate off the last of her candy. Jack lounged back and alternately watched her and his square thoughtfully. 

"A sweet one, Daniel," Sam said mysteriously, then smiled at Jack. "Very sweet."

THE END

Whee! And whew, that's done. Not quite the story-in-a-day I hoped to do but, hey. I'd still love to know what you think of the March Madness! entry. Please review, and thanks for reading. 


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